Red State Democrats Rock -- Lay Off Red State Bashing, They Live There

[autorank]

I've been a Blue State and a Red State Democrat (CA, NY, MD, DC, now VA).

I'm noticing a resurgence of anti Red State stuff on DU. Please remember that there are a boat load of loyal Red State Democrats out there on DU. I'm one my self but I consider myself "above the state" which is why I'm an objective authority here.

How about bashing ***Red State Republicans*** instead of the generic Red State stuff. If you look at a county Red/Blue map, every state has Blue in it, usually the urban areas.

Communicating with some of my MS and AL buddies, there is an understandable sense of being targeted when in fact they are doing God's work -- working for Democrats in hostile environments.

Just think of this before generic Red State blasts and then use ***Red State Republicans***:

Red State Democrats (particularly on DU) are the front line in the war against American fascism. They should be honored, given combat pay, elevated in your hearts & minds at we approach the holiday season.

Good New Years resolution: Bash Red State Republicans, not Red Stater's in general; or, hug a Red State Democrat today!!! :pals:

[redqueen]

1. That's so kind of you!

This Texan DUer thanks you!

:hug:

[ailsagirl]

31. Never was it intended to hurt our blue allies in those states...

[Ian David]

2. And Democrats work for Walmart, too

Are we supposed to NOT boycott / bash Walmart because so many poor Democrats make their livings there?

Then how can we say "don't boycott / bash the red states" just because so many Democrats live there?

[autorank]

19. Good question. How useful are boycotts? Walmart is in every state.

And it's not a state. Look at the red/blue county map. There's a lot of blue in AL, MS, LA, and even TX (the border region rocks). It does not make sense to boycott an entire state, either financially or in terms of our respect for its residents. Red State Dems bust ass every day trying to change things. They make a major contribution just by living there.

[rndmprsn]

3. i think this red v blue thing is a bit overblown...

and it kind of falls into "their" trap...divide and counquer.

[autorank]

6. Absolutely correct!!! It's a rehash of Nixon's Southern Strategy.

Divide the south racially and get a bunch of whites to come on over to the Republican Party, enough to make it real Republican. Now the cultural divide, get all Red Stater's upset at the perceived attack on the entire culture and voila, more Repukes. Won't work but we have to stop it here!

[banjoman]

11. red state vs. blue state

how can we preach inclusiveness, when we are quick to knife an entire state depending their color on the election night map. when reagan won everything but minnesota in 84, did that mean that entire country except minnesota was pure evil. such simplemindedness and conspiratorial tripe is what holds us back.

[QC]

21. It's a Rove-created, corporate-media endorsed talking point

designed to exaggerate the power of the Republicans and the weakness of the Democrats, which is why I can't for the life of me understand why about 90% of DU seems compelled to bleat it endlessly. What heightens the irony is that the ones obsessed with the red/blue bit tend to be the same ones fond of congratulating themselves on their amazing political sense and dimsissing the masses as "sheeple." Well, sheeple is as sheeple does.

[Ms_Mary]

48. Yep. Most of the red states are pretty darn purple.

[Q3JR4]

4. Being a Dem. in a red state

sucks ass.

We get it from the reps that live here for not voting with the rest of the sheep, and then we're lumped together with them by other Dems at DU.

Will it never end? ;(

:nopity:

Nah, I actually feel the same way about this state that the rest of you do I think.

[Cobalt Violet]

5. "God's work"?

:shrug:

[autorank]

8. You know, God in the generic sense. I'm a heathen myself but I like the

phrase. Makes me feel better for sleeping in on all those Sunday's.

[Sympleesmshn]

7. Another Red stater here

I think I speak for my section of Va when I say we are true blue

[autorank]

9. NoVA rules. We should be a state!!!

[Sympleesmshn]

29. I am in the southern coastal

I live in the cities, most of which voted Kerry. Hampton in fact was almost 75% Kerry, as I recall. I think Va should break into a few pieces

[autorank]

33. Chauvinsitic me! I liked the Tidewater returns.

How did you folks get it done?

[Sympleesmshn]

51. I have no clue.....

but I am happy about it. I just wish we could have landed the whole state. It may have been because Kerry was here 3 times and Bush may have been here once. I went to the rally in Norfolk and it was big. I heard later on the news that there was a Bush rally that day and there were under 50 attending but there were several thousand at the Kerry one.

[cheezus]

10. My red state deserves bashing

god, why does everyone have to take things so personally?

[quaoar]

20. Well

if you read a post that suggested that the state you live in should be ejected from the union and that you and all your fellow citizens deserved to have your economy destroyed and your children shipped off to Iraq ......

You'd take it personally, too.

[charlie]

36. Nope

Heard all that and worse, coming from the rock-bottom state in the union, the Godawful Republic of Texas. No skin off my nose.

Cripes, if you guys need permission slips or something, I'll gladly hand them out. Texas deserves it. Whack away.

[quaoar]

37. Oh, I don't know

I've heard that Austin is a pretty great place to live. Never been there myself.

I've been to Dallas and San Antonio and I liked those cities.

[LondonReign2]

56. No I wouldn't and don't take it personally

Texas is the Root of All Evil. DeLay, Armey, Gramm, Bush I, Chimperor, Enron, Halliburton, the Bass Brothers, Tom Hicks, Goodhair Perry, Bo Pilgrim...fuck every last one of them.

I wish the US would kick this sorry state out of the union.

Doesn't mean I take it personally.

[Radical Activist]

12. How's the weather in Dumbfuckistan?

The stereotypes about the south and rural midwest are part of the reason that the coastal party leadership decided to write off those areas. That is the problem. If we're going to start winning nationally again we have to stop making fun of those regions and realize that we can win there if we have a strong message.
I like your post.

[autorank]

14. Right!!! We don't spread the message and we're upset at those

we don't spread the message too. I remember a Wisconsin DUer saying Kerry had to go seriously populist to really hammer things down in WI and IA. Well, he didn't (which is consistent with his history). But I've got news for everybody, getting screwed is gettin screwed. Enough people in Red States are smart enough to get the message and come on over to our side. I like you post too!

[Ms_Mary]

49. That's what I've been saying.

[Radical Activist]

58. We need a good heartland populist ticket

from the south and midwest. Put Edwards on a ticket with Feingold or Durbin and we win.

[Pepperbelly]

25. Economic populism worked pretty damned well here for a long time.

I remember when Arkansas went for Wallace in '68. I was deeply ashamed. Then in '72, with Nixon, I just re-filled the bong. I think that is one of the things that should appeal to the so-called red states.

Things are, I suspect, going to get a lot worse economically.

[9119495]

13. Okay, deal, but can you red state dems at least fire-bomb a few

things? You know...for cred? I think we'd all feel better.



It's sad, but in the middle of that last sentance I realized my state is now red. I must be very effective with denial.

[BamaGirl]

15. Thx for your post

but the Bama bashers seem to be well entrenched lol. :P It is really frustrating to see my state continually attacked from within by the Reps, and then turn around to get a second dose from fellow Dems. This kind of division, hatred, and misunderstanding will accomplish nothing other than keeping us out of the WH in 2008.

[autorank]

18. Repukes out to destroy your state!

Saw your Republican Gov tried to apply a little common sense and charity to the state tax code, bring the state into the 21st century, get a bunch of jobs for folks...and the Repukes took him down. Keep the faith!

[PunkPop]

16. Personally I don't take offense

My identity is not tied up with the state I live in (Texas). If somebody on here bashes Texas I don't feel like it's directed at me. I know there are a few good things about Texas and if somebody slams it on DU I tend to assume they're slamming the Republicans that are in the majority here.

[jonnyblitz]

47. I wouldn't either if I lived in a red state.

I am not "territorial" or whatever they call it. This sort of reminds of the Christians on DU thinkin we are bashing ALL christians when we bash fundies...

[demosincebirth]

17. Its the same thing as pigeon - holing all Christians as fundamentalists.

Some, on this board, have the tendency of lumping certain people together.

[Touchdown]

22. Take one step further; when is a state "red"?

In my "red" state, our election results were...

Ken Salazar for Senator...replacing Dem-to-Puke turncoat Nighthorse Campbell.
John Salazar for Congress...replacing GOP Fruitcake Scott McInnis.
Democrats will now control the entire state legislature.

Not to mention...
We passed light rail mass transit in Denver Metro.
as well as Renewable wind energy...by polular vote.

So...because Colorado BARELY went to Bush*, we just throw all those other PROGRESSIVE victories away, because we are hopelessly red, and should be thrown to "Jesusland"? Spare me!

At least we didn't elect a cyborg for Governator.:eyes:

[autorank]

23. Montana Blue State statewide - Gov + Both State Houses

Hell, Montana has to be one of our models for success along with Colorado. Great victories statewide, a precursor to 2006 opening up a can of whup ass for the right wing Mafia in Congress. Adios Tommy Boy, Denny Boy, and the rest of the Repukes who defame "The People's House."

[Catherine Vincent]

24. Whether they bash red states or red state republicans...

it's all just silly to me anyway.

[cally]

26. The entire red/blue state characterization is designed to hurt Dems

We are idiots to continue the divide. Dems are supposed to identify with their blue states and repubs with the red states. Remember the Repubs won (supposedly) so there are more red state electoral votes. If we continue the divide, then Dems continue to lose.

We do much better by focusing on our common values. Besides, Dems in some of these states face such obstacles and ridicule that they are heroic. I honor them. They have a much tougher job building a party then someone like me in a blue state. Well, in theory. Anyone who's dealt with the California Dem party no how impossible they are.

[autorank]

28. OH SO, SO TRUE. DON'T FALL FOR THE REPUKE GAME.

:yourock:

[Sugarbleus]

27. Beloved Democrats everywhere...we CARE about you and

appreciate the circumstances you are in. We also recognize and appreciate your hard work during the last campaign.

There was a knee jerk reaction on Black Tuesday...we're over it now..

We Love You.. :hi:

[LizW]

30. Thanks!

:hug:

[union_maid]

32. I just call 'em red voters

The Red State Democrats have it rough. I just live in a red neighborhood in a blue state in a county that's recently turned blue and it pisses me off. Some of the best progressives who have done the hardest work for change live in red states and in some red states that's been dangerous work, historically. However, if we have to secede, you're going to have to move. We'll trade for you. I'll send your state my Bush voting neighbors and you can have their houses and jobs. Deal?

[WritersBlock]

34. My take on it

I sent this to the Buzzflash mailbag a couple of weeks after the election, and I still feel the same way today:

---------------
A good friend just forwarded me a colorfully-worded tirade about "red states." I had seen it before, and felt exactly in tune with it when I first read it. I think I'd even forwarded it on once or twice.

But I've since thought about it a lot, and now I feel differently. Because if I believe all those states really went red, then I'm believing exactly what the Republicans want me to believe - that the majority of Americans voted for Bush.

And I just don't believe that. There were so many people standing in line for so many hours; I am unable to seriously entertain the notion that most of them endured that wait in order to cast a ballot reflecting satisfaction with the incumbent. There are too many patterns - very obvious patterns - in the discrepancies between the exit polls and the final results. Patterns of almost exact mirror-image reversals cannot logically be of random origin. There were too many reports of difficulties in registering and voting; I could go on and on.

So I figure that I can believe one of two things. I can believe that most people voted for Bush and all those states actually went red, or I can believe that there was election fraud. I can't believe both of those things, because they contradict each other. I have no real choice but to believe the latter; not merely because I'm disappointed with the outcome, but because there is so much evidence pointing toward it, and so little evidence pointing toward the former.

Which brings me back again to the "red state/blue state" issue. If I believe there was fraud, then it follows that I must also believe those states (or at least most of them) weren't actually red. But if I continue the red-state bashing, even in jest, it plays right into the Republicans' hands because it indicates that I accept their doctored version of the results. And I damn sure don't do that.

--------------

[autorank]

66. Great point: how do we know who is really red. Sure VA was fixed!

I didn't run into more than a few people who were going for * in NoVA, 20-25% of the VA population. I know folks of all stripes, a good portion of whom voted * in 2000. To the person, they made a point of telling me how sick they were of him and how they were voting Kerry. Fairfax County, heart of NoVA went on y 53-47% Kerry with all "black boxes." It's nonsense. The whole state went * by 6% this year and by just 4% for * over Gore in 2000 with no real Democratic effort. When you apply a reasonableness test, common in accounting, the VA results flunk. We'll know some day but for now, I cannot believe that VA is red.

[Skittles]

35. hey, I am a liberal in Texas

and they can bash this wingnut f***ing state all they g.d. please

[ScaRBama]

38. You are so right....

when the people who are suppose to be your brothers and sisters lump everybody together. This is nothing more than what every enemy of any cause loves. They get you spreading hatred and division among your followers,then they don't have to do anything but sit back and enjoy the show. The destruction of a party comes from within the same group that should be holding united hands for a common cause.

[GOPBasher]

39. Good point.

[THUNDER HANDS]

40. what exactly is wrong with bashing a state?

Its a piece of friggin' land with invisible boundries and borders, not a living person.

I say bash away, if anyone can defend their state, more power to them. But if I lived in a state that helped get Bush back into the white house, I wouldn't be so keen on defending it just because somewhere, someplace, in the same state as me, someone thinks the same way I do.

[AP]

42. Bashing people based on state citizenship isn't much different than bash-

ing people for race, religion, gender or national origin.

Do you bash Mexicans? Or Catholics?

?

[QC]

45. Because many people identify with their homes and thus take it personally.

What is to be gained from alienating our friends? Seems to me that we need a few million more of them, not fewer.

[elaineb]

60. "what exactly is wrong with bashing a state?" ??

Well, Magic Rat, it seems to me that bashing an entire state based on how the majority voted, is the same as bashing an entire *country* based on how the majority voted.

You know...like the way much of the world is now judging the U.S.?

[lastliberalintexas]

41. No, "red state republicans" still is not enough

If you're going to bash anyone, why not be specific and bash BUSH VOTERS? No matter where they are, no matter whether their vote helped elect him or not, those idiots are the ones who support the fascist bastards. I don't care if it's a Bush Voter living in Texas or Vermont- a Nazi is a Nazi no matter where s/he lives.


That said- there are plenty of specific, legitimate criticisms which can be levied at Texas. Education, executions, CHIP de-funding, etc. Just don't think that *all* Texans want these things- even we voted 35% against Bush.

[AP]

43. Why not bash the polticians, policies and media which convince people to

vote against their best interests, and not bash the victims at all.

[lastliberalintexas]

46. Well, as I said

*if* you're going to bash anyone.

I do think that some of the voters deserve blame, though. I personally know peopple who voted for Bush because 1. Kerry would take their guns away and/or 2. Kerry supports "baby killers" and/or 3. Kerry supports "fags". Not a one is stupid and unable to learn about the issues. Not a one is wealthy. Not a one is a regular church goer who was brainwashed by their Baptist preacher- in fact, one is an avowed atheist.

I did everything I could (or at least a great deal) to sway these people and provided them with real news and information, so they don't even have the excuse of the MSM. While I don't know that "bash" is the correct term, these people do deserve blame.

I know that you like to blame the media, AP- and they do deserve some of it. But democracy requires more of its citizens than merely being spoon fed information from the idiot box. The information is available, if only people would look for it or even be open to it. These people have chosen to be shallow, uninformed, ignorant, and sports/celebrity crazed rather than active, engaged *citizens* of this country. And we all will face the economic policies of their shallowness. Yes, I will blame them, for they deserve it.

These people are not victims, unless you consider that they are victims of their own votes. Many of these people *know* that they are voting against their economic interests and have chosen to do so because the RW represents their other interests- the need to feel superior to others, the need to moralize, the need to hate/demonize someone or something. It is a voluntary choice that they are making, and they don't deserve the label of victim.

They deserve to be treated like *adults*, not victims, and given the policies for which they voted. Maybe then they'll realize that politics really does impact their lives more than the Cowboys and Brittany Spears.

[AP]

52. My argument is that the arguments for the left are so good and so obvious

that if you can't convince people to vote Democratic, the problem was more to do with not reaching out to the people effectively and the people not getting all the right information in order to make a decision, and that you're competing with people like Rove who have figured out very effective ways to lie to people.

I don't blame the people. I blame that other stuff. I'd blame myself for not making the best argument. I'd blame Republicans for being such effective fascists. I'd blame the media for not giving people enough information to chose.

But people, no matter how dumb you think they are, are basically rational beings, and there are ways to reach them, and it isn't their fault if we're not reaching them effectively.

[lastliberalintexas]

54. So it's our fault that

this guy thinks Kerry is a gun grabber? I worked on him, my ex-jarhead brother worked on him, and my lifetime membership to NRA father worked on him. All to no avail. But it's not *his* fault that he was either too closed minded to see the real information or else chose not to? It's ours for not using the right message or whatever? Sorry, but I don't buy that.

And this guy is rational and intelligent, and did vote for his interests (guns). It just wasn't the interest on which you and I would have chosen for him to vote (economic).

It's nice that you think of people in Jeffersonian terms, but I've been leaning more towards Hamilton of late. Some people really are just a**holes, AP. And some of them really do deserve to get what they voted for.

[AP]

57. If I can't talk someone into voting D, I blame myself before I blame

the person I'm talking to.

[Ms_Mary]

44. Red state democrat here.

[ThorsHammer]

50. Anyone have the red/blue map?

Someone had posted it a while back, and I thought it was great. It has each state filled in with its respective blue/red breakdown (a state like NY would be nearly all blue, a state like Idaho nearly all red), and it was interesting to see that many of the so-called red states are at least 40% blue. There's also one where they swirl the colors together, and much of the country is purple.

[aWaKeNoW]

59. Here are the comparison pictures

by county and state:




I got them off of this website: http://www.monkeytime.org/archive/Nov2004.html#liar
It is a local news blog here in North Carolina where I live. :)

[greenohio]

53. Good post!

[LondonReign2]

55. I'm a Red State Democrat

And I will bash the Red States with all my might, thank you. Just because there are some progressives down here doesn't mean this isn't the cesspit of the US. Particularly Texas and Oklahoma.

[TedsGarage]

61. Move to a Blue State

The reason the country has gone so far right is that Blue Staters have been migrating to Red States, augmenting their electoral power. Let's reverse the trend.

[QC]

65. This might come as a terrible shock,

but some people have to work for a living and thus cannot just pack up and head out on a whim.

And, in my experience, an awful lot of the "Blue Staters" flooding into this part of the country are every bit as reactionary as the homegrown freepers. Let's not forget that suburbs full of northern transplants sent Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr to Congress.

[deminks]

62. Thank you for the thought!

I have been in the dem minority here in Kansas for many years. There are a lot of us in Kansas, but we have had to fend for ourselves for so long. No one pays any attention to Kansans as a rule. Repugs just assume they are going to win here. Dems assume they are going to lose. We elect many good dems here, we have a dem governor who is doing a great job. My state rep is now a dem. Kerry got 37% in November statewide. Won two counties outright. Someone told me before the election that if Kerry got close to 40% in Kansas, he would win in a landslide. I think that what is really wrong with Kansas is that no one pays any attention to us. If someone could get a handle on farm issues, jobs, small business issues, and education they would do well here. When no one pays attention, then the people pushing fringe issues like anti-abortion and creationism take over, as well as the mega-corporate types buying up all the farms and businesses. Most national candidates just pass on through on the way to somewhere else. Just my two cents. I do feel pain when there is a lot of red state bashing, we are trying to do what we can. I also agree that we are all different shades of purple states.

Early on in this last campaign, there were key "battleground" states that were identified. All of the attention went there, and I mean all of it. When one party figures out that people matter everywhere, they will get the votes (if any of our votes count in the future). Sorry to be so long winded.

[autorank]

67. Welcome to DU. People can't vote for us if they don't know who we are!

I am really disgusted by the "battleground states" strategy. Pounding away at marginal states neglects our base and restricts us from missionary work in the states we totally ignore. For the life of me, I don't know why it isn't worth doing a shot gun radio campaign in the red states. Get someone like Ed Shultz to do a boat load of commercials and just run them for for about 3 months before the election on rural stations. This would cost next to nothing compared to TV ads and it would get us in the starting gate at least. Great vehicle for a populist message.

[deminks]

68. I totally agree!

Thank you for the welcome! I totally agree with you. Radio is still a powerful tool here. Everyone listens in their cars (we have some very long drives out west), in their shops, at work. I think it would be money well spent, as long as it was a message for Kansans, or Oklahomans, or Nebraskans, etc.

[Sparkly]

63. Good point!!

Red State Democrats :yourock:

Btw, you said you've been in CA, NY, MD, DC, now VA.
I've been in CT, NY, VA, now MD. (Work in DC, got sisters in CA.) We should have run into each other by now. :hi:

[twenty2strings]

64. Please move to arkansas...lots of jobs here...

Pays not great but rent is cheap. And you can still buy land. Lots of democrats ect.but we need more!:bounce: